Stuffing box



Oct. 22, 1940. N. H. ARMSTRONG Er AL 2,218,839

` STUFFING Box v Filed Aug. 5,'1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 2.2, 1940. `N H. ARMSTRG AL 2,218,839

STUFFING Box Filed Aug. 5,1938 2 sheets-sheet 2 54 4 if 2, .5.3 '55 3J 2 2; I Z9 f' 2.5

24 g; .fa

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marea oei. 22, 194e a; j @MES PATEN'I" N carica Y 2,218,839 se Box Application August 5, 193s, serial No. 223,302

4 claims. (class-2s) 'I'his invention relates to a stumng box which is particularly adapted for use in connection with the pump rod orfpolish rod of a well pump.

One object of the invention is to provide a stung box consisting of companion members carried by the well casing and the pump rodand cooperating with'each other to form 'a liquid seal serving very effectively to prevent escape of uid pumped out of the well while at the same timev eliminating substantially all friction when Vthe pump is in operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a stuillng box wherein a cylindrical pocket is carried by the well casingin position to receive a tubular sleeve carried by-the pump rod, the sleeve being curved at its upper or outer end and iirmly secured to the pump rod so' that it will reciprocate in the pocket Without moving out'of oil or other liquid in the pocket during upward movement of the pump rod. It will thus be seen' that a liquid seal will be at all times established and leakage of fluid from the Well casing prevented.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means for wiping the outer surface of the sleeve during reciprocation of the pump rod and the sleeve and thus remove from'the sleeve oil which adheres to it when-it is immersed in the liquid.

Another object of the invention is to provide a y stuiiing box for a pump rod which is very simple in construction and capable of being very easily applied to a pump rod and a. Well casing in which the pump rod operates.

The invention is-illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein: I f

Figure 1 is a View taken 'vertically through the upper portion of a wellcasing and a portion of a pump rod together with the improved stufling box, the pump rod being shown in` elevation and the well casing and stuillng box in vertical section,

and w FigureZ is a similar view showing a modified construction. f

The well casing, which is indicated by the numeral I, may be of any desireddiameter and adjacent its upper end is formed with a side port 2` into which is screwed the pipe 3 through which fluid is pumped from the Well lcasing When the pump rod 4 is reciprocated verticallyinthe well casing. This pump rod may be of any desired length and have its lower end connected with pumping means for forcingrthe iiuid upwardly of this invention is employed to provide a liquid seal about the pump rod within the upper portion of the well casing and is of the following construction.

Referring to Figure'l, it will be seen that Within the upper portion of the well casing is mounted an annular pocket having an outer annular wall 5 and an inner annular wall 6. These walls are formed of metalltubing which may besections cut from pipe of the proper diameter and the'lower endportions of these tubes or annular walls are threaded to receive a metal ring I which is screwed tightly into place and provides va solid bottom for the pocket 8. 'A collar or ring 9 is disposed about the upper end portion of the outer annular wall or tube 5 where it is firmly secured in covering relation to the upper edge of the tube by a depending annularflange I0 firmly engaged with the tube. There has also been provided a depending annular flange II' about the outer peripheral edge of the collar 9, and this ilange is internally threaded and screwed into engagement with the upper end of the well casing; It will thus be seen that the outer annular wall will be. supported from the Well casing concentric thereto and sincey the inner annular Wallis engaged With the ring 1 screwed into the lower end of the outer wall the entire pocket will be suspended within the well casing. An annular block or mounting ring I2 fits snugly about the pump rod 4 and is firmly secured in a set position thereon by a suitable number of set screws I3. This block or ring I2. has its lower portion externally threaded to receive the sleeve I4 which extends downwardly from the block and has itslower end portion internally threaded to receive the externally threaded upper end portion of atube I5. The tube I5 is of such diameter that, when it is in place and extends downwardly into the pocket 8, it will be spaced from the walls 5 and 6 and may be reciprocated vertically in the pocket without having engagement with either of the annular Walls of the pocket. Therefore, friction between the vtube 5 and the Walls of the pocket will be entirely eliminated. A packing disk IIv is placed against the under face of the block I2 about the pump rod 4 and under this packing disk is disposed a metal-ring I'l against whichengages the upper end of the tube I5. Therefore, When the tube is screwed into the sleeve or collar I4 and the rings I6 and Ilxare forced upwardly, the ring I6 will be compressed and expanded between the block I2 and the ring I'l to form a tight joint and preventleakage through thev upper end of the tube I5.v As the tube I5 is continuously immersed in the oil or other liquid I3 with which the pocket 3 is partially lled, fluid in the casing I will be prevented from escaping about the tube, and when the pump is in operation, all of the iluid will be -forced from the well casing through the discharge pipe 3. During reciprocation of the pump rod, the tube I5 moves upwardly through the open lupper end of the pocket and then back down into the pocket. portions of the tube I5 which have been immersed in the oil I3 will be moved upwardly through the upper end ofthe pocket and if wind is blowing this oil is liable to be blown off the tube and not vonly become wasted but also cause attendants to be spattered with oil. In order to prevent this, the iilm of oil must be wiped from the tube as it moves upwardly out of the pocket. Therefore, there has been provided a wiper mounted above the collar 3. 'I'his wiper consists of a fiat ring I3 formed of felt or other suitable material and is of such internal diameter that it iits snugly about the pump rod. The wiping ring is disposed be.

tween clamping rings and 2| which are held in gripping engagement with upper and lower faces of the wiping ringby suitable fasteners, such as screws orbolts, and attention is called to thefact that the rings 2li and 2i are of less width than the wiping ring so that this wiping ring projects from the inner peripheries of the clamping rings.- 'I'his permits the inner peripheral portion of the wiping ring to be iiexed somewhat during movement of the pump rod and also permits it to maintain its close contacting engagement with the pump rod and very effectively wipe oil from the tube during reciprocating movement of the tube and pump rod. The lower clamping ring 2| is spaced upwardly from the collar 9 and supported inthis elevated position by a suitable number of struts 22 spaced from each other circumferentiallyvofl By removing the upper pocket. It will thus be seen that the sleeve will be substantially freed from oil as it moves up' wardly and the oil will not be blocked from the sleeve or tube.Y We have, therefore, provided a stuing box which .will very eifectively prevent leakage of fluid pumped u'pwardly during operation of the pump Iand all friction will be elim'inated except the slight friction between the wiper vand the outer surface of the tube I5.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 2, the upper end of the well casing 'I is closed by a ring or annular vplug 23 which is screwed into the well casing and is also internally threaded to receive the threaded upper end portion of the tube 24 which takes the place of the posed about the pump rod 4 within the'tubc 2l..

It Will thus be Seen that mounted to reciprocate' in the casing, a sleeve mounted in the casing about the pump rod, a

and this tube 3l has its lower end portion 3I externally thickened to provide a head 3I which iits snugly within the sleeve 24 and constitutes a closure for the space or pocket 32 between the tube. 30 and the tube 24. 'This space or pocket is par- 5 tially filled with oil and forms a liquid seal about the tube 30. In view of the fact that the wiper 21 ts'snugly about thesleeve 30, oil carried upwardly upon the tube 30 during upward movement thereof will be wiped from the samel and; caused to ilow back into the pocket 32. Therefore, the proper supply of oil will be maintained in this pocket and leakage prevented. In case a great deal of oil should be carried upwardly by the tube or sleeve 30, this oil will, as it`-is wiped from the reciprocating tube or sleeve, accumulate4 in the cup and then ilow back into the pocket 32. A collar 33 which fits snugly about the pump rod 4 is secured thereto by set screws 34 and this collar has its lower end portion recessed and internally threaded, as shown at 35, to receive the threaded upper end of the tube 30, a gasket 36 being provided between the upper end of 'the tube and the collar to form a tight joint.

Having thus described the invention, what is 25 claimed as new is: i Y

1. In' a structure of the character described, a well casing, a reciprocating pump rod operating in said casing, a tubular sleeve in said casing about said pump rod, a ring mounted in upper end portions of said casing and engaging the upper end of said sleeve to supportthe sleeve in the casing and close the space between, the upper ends of the sleeve and casing, said ring having a portion extending upwardly and forming an annular cup, a tube surrounding said pump rod, a collar carried by said pump rod and engaged with the upper end of said tube, said ytube extending longitudinally in said sleeve and having its lower portion formed with a head in close contactingV engagement with 40 Walls of the sleeve, the space between the sleeve and the tube above the head thereof being partially fllledwith liquid to form a liquid seal, and a wiping ring carried by said cup and engaging said tube towipe liquid from the tube as the tube and the pump rod move upwardly.

2. In a structure of the character described, a e well casing, a pump rod reciprocating in said casing, a sleeve in said casing about said pump rod, means for closing the upper end portion of space between the sleeve and the casing, and a tube about said pump rod within the sleeve having its upper end connected with the pump rod and its lower end externally thickened -to form a head having close contacting engagement with walls of the sleeve, the space 4between the sleeve and tube above the head being partially filled with liquid to form a liquid seal.

3. In a stuiiing box, a well casing, a pump rod 4. In a stuiling box as recited in claim 3, wherein the wiper comprises a disk of relatively soft material, and means for removably clamping the wiper in operative position.

' NORVAL H. ARMSTRONG.

RIZAL M. MARR. A Y 

